by Gary Knox | Sep 28, 2015
The University of Florida/IFAS presents Art & Garden Fall Family Festival, October 3, at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), Quincy Campus. Join us that day and discover creative ways to explore visual art and the art of gardening through demonstrations and fun activities for the whole family. Speak with experts about all your gardening questions or purchase unusual, hard-to-find, top-performing plants for our area. Take a tour of the Gardens or a trolley ride highlighting fruits and nuts that can be grown in our area. Locally grown produce and garden plants as well as arts and crafts will be for sale along with food and refreshments. Children’s arts and crafts activities will take place in a huge “Kid Zone” located in a shaded, garden area.
The Art & Garden Fall Festival is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 3.
The festival takes place in Gardens of the Big Bend, located in Quincy at I-10 Exit 181, just 1/8 mile north on Pat Thomas Highway (SR 267). The Gardens are located on the campus of University of Florida/IFAS, North Florida Research and Education Center, off Pat Thomas Parkway, SR 267 at 155 Research Road, Quincy, FL. Located just north of I-10 Exit 181, 3 miles south of Quincy.
Presented by the University of Florida/IFAS, North Florida Research and Education Center in collaboration with the Gadsden Arts Center, Gardening Friends of the Big Bend, the Quincy Garden Club and other area garden and arts organizations.
For more information: http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/art-and-garden/ or 850-875-7100.
by Larry Williams | Sep 9, 2014
The Emerald Coast Home Show, Health Fair and Business Expo will include lawn and landscape seminars and an information booth hosted by the Okaloosa County Master Gardeners. This event will take place September 13 and 14 at the Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway in Fort Walton Beach. The horticulture seminars will be provided by the UF/IFAS Extension Office in Okaloosa County.
A feature of the Emerald Coast Home Show Health Fair and Business Expo will be an information booth hosted by the Okaloosa County Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and to distribute information pertinent to gardening and lawn care on the Gulf Coast.
In addition to an information booth hosted by Master Gardeners, free educational seminars will be provided. On Sunday, September 14, I will provide a one hour seminar at 1p.m. entitled “Preparing Your Lawn for Fall and Winter.” This presentation will answer questions concerning preparing your lawn for the dormant period of winter. What’s the truth about” winterizer” fertilizers? Do you need to “winterize” your lawn? How should you water your lawn through the fall and winter? Should you overseed your lawn with annual ryegrass? What should you do about winter weeds in your lawn? What lawn pests are active during fall and winter? Learn the answers to these questions and the truth about winter lawn care for North Florida by attending the Preparing Your Lawn for Fall and Winter seminar.
The complete schedule of free seminars includes the following.
Saturday, September 13
11a.m. Margaret Stewart – Herbs, growing, using and preserving
1p.m. Scott Berry – Orchid basics
3 p.m. Karen Kirk-Williams – Great plants for fall and winter color
Sunday, September 14
1 p.m. Larry Williams – Preparing Your Lawn for Fall and Winter
2 p.m. Marie Harrison – Help! Pollinators in peril
The Emerald Coast Home Show, Health Fair and Business Expo will be open September 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and September 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers free admission, door prizes and giveaway items along with 100 vendors and free health care evaluations.
Visit www.emeraldcoasthomeshow.com for more information.
by Beth Bolles | Sep 2, 2014

A bountiful harvest
A hands-on workshop will be offered for novice gardeners to learn the basics of Fall and Winter vegetable gardening. The entire class will be outside utilizing raised beds and in ground planting areas. Participants will be learning about soil preparation, seeding and transplanting techniques, vegetable thinning, and general care until harvest. Class size is limited to 20 people. Pre registration is required before September 17 by calling 475-5230 or emailing bbolles@ufl.edu
The session will be at Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road on Saturday, September 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Dress for outside weather.
by Mary Salinas | Sep 2, 2014
Need some advice to get started with a fall garden? The horticulture agents of the Northwest Extension District are pleased to present an interactive video series for the beginning gardener.

Broccoli, a popular winter vegetable. Photo by Mary Derrick, UF IFAS
The schedule is as follows:
September 9th – Starting a Home Vegetable Garden: Expectations, planning and site preparation
September 16th – Starting a Home Vegetable Garden: Tips to use whether you are starting with seeds or transplants
September 23rd – Tops and Bottoms for the Cool Season Garden: Cool season crops such as lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, chard, strawberries, onions, potatoes and carrots
Consult the list of Participating counties for the location nearest to you. The cost is $30 for an individual and $45 for a couple and covers all three sessions and informative handouts. All classes are held 6-7:30 p.m. Central time.
by Matthew Orwat | Jul 8, 2014
Core, Ornamental and Turf
Pesticide Training & Exam
July 31, 2014
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
***** 2 CEUs available in CORE and 2 CEUs available in O&T*****
Location: Washington County Extension Office, at the Agriculture Center
1424 Jackson Ave. Chipley, Fl. Suite A
East Wing Conference Room
To Register Contact Matt or Cynthia at 850-638-6180 or mjorwat@ufl.edu .
Cost:
$20.00 all day
Or
$10.00 if only attending morning or afternoon session
Agenda:
CORE Training and Exam section
- 7:45-8:00 — Registration and Introduction (morning refreshments)
- 8:00-9:40 Pesticide Effects on Humans and the Environment
- 9:40 – 10:50 Pesticide Labeling
- 11:00-12:30 CEUs Issued / Exam
- 12:30-1:30—Lunch (provided)
Ornamental & Turf Training and Exam section
- 1:30-2:20 Identifying and Controlling In-sects,Weeds and Disease
- 2:20-3:30 Reading Herbicide Labels and Calculating Application Rates
- 3:30-5:00 CEUs Issued / Exam

by Gary Knox | May 22, 2014
Nursery IPM Workshop
North Florida
Research and Education Center
May Building Seminar Room and On
-site Outdoor Nursery Facilities
155 Research Road Quincy, Florida 32351
June10-11, 2014
Don’t miss this hands-on, 2-day workshop focused on integrated pest management (IPM) for nursery crops! Learn how to save resources, reduce pest damage and pesticide use, and create a safer working environment for employees, all while earning 13 pesticide CEUs plus FNGLA CEUs! Georgia pesticide CEUs applied for.
You will learn to identify major pests, plant diseases, and weeds using live samples, lectures, and images. Horticulturists, plant pathologists, entomologists, and weed scientists – – from major universities across the southeastern U.S. – – will teach you about some of the latest technologies to prevent pests and use your smart phone as a pest scouting device. Each participant will receive a free copy of IPM Pro, a mobile device app for IPM in ornamental crops, as well as many printed reference materials. In-depth and focused on IPM in ornamentals, this workshop is one of kind and well worth your time!
Registration is only $15 but you must pre-register to participate; no walk-ins allowed! To register and for more information, go to the registration website